Item Appeal offers help

Stacey, of Clinton, recently fell on hard times. The single mother of two young girls found herself short on grocery money with Thanksgiving a few weeks away.

The Item Appeal was there to help.

The Item Appeal is an all-volunteer run organization that helps your neighbors in need in Clinton, Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Lancaster and Sterling. Since there is no overhead, every dollar donated goes out to the community to help those in need with food, rent, heat and other necessities in life.

"Need" can happen to anyone.

Stacey said she learned about the Item Appeal from a friend. She placed a call for help and had groceries in the cupboards that day.

"It was within two hours," she said. "They were very fast."

Stacey said she was impressed with the how caring and respectful the Item Appeal representatives were.

"They were very nice," she said. "They were very generous and very helpful. Especially with the holidays approaching. I would ab-solutely, recommend them to anyone facing hard times. They're great. As soon as I have the money, I know I'll be contributing myself."

It is easy to help your neighbors in need this season - and all year round.

Send donations to: Item Appeal, c/o Clinton Savings Bank, 200 Church St., Clinton, MA 01510. All donations will be acknowledged in The Item, unless otherwise requested. Include a note specifying whether the donation is in memory or honor of someone.

There are other ways to help the Appeal help your neighbors. Greeting cards, including holiday cards, are on sale at The Item office, 156 Church St., Clinton. Cards are 50 cents apiece, 15 for $5. Dunn and Co./Legacy Publishing donated the cards, and all proceeds go directly to the Item Appeal.

The Appeal will be manning at table at Clinton Elementary School during the Nov. 29 Community Stroll. Cards and other gift items, donated by Dunn and Co., will be on sale, as well as raffle tickets for a guitar, signed by every artist appearing this season at the Lancaster Coffeehouse, including Arlo Guthrie. Raffle tickets are $5, and are also available at The Item.

With gas prices rising, and other expenses flying out of control, it is easy to need a little help.